Variable speed gearing



April 19, 1.932. W. V, @RR 1,854,622

VARIABLE SPEED GEARING Filed May l2, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l t wir auApril '19, W v ORR- K VARIABLE SPEED GEARING Filed May lz, 1930 :2Sheets-Sheet 2 Arron/yew,

Patented Apr. 19, 1932 'UNTED STA PATENT lili-[6151v WIILLIAM V. ORE, OFCLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OHIO; THE CLEVELND TRUST" COMPAJIY AND' ADELE lfAR- fOIR-R EXECUTORS 0F SAID VIILLA'M.' V. OER, DECEASED VARIALE SPEEIVD`GEARING Application filed May 12,

The invention relates to variable speed gearing, and more particularlyto speedk changing mechanism forming anv integral part of an exercisingand massaging ma- Exercising and massaging machines` in common useinclude a strap applicator, or other form of massaging appliance, forinassaging and exercising body parts by imparti ing a massaging orrubbing movement to the strap through the medium of pins eccentricallymounted on Va rotating shaft, the ends of the strap applicator beingconnected With the pins.

In use, the strap applicator engages the portion of the body desired tobe massaged, and the eccentric pin shaft is rotated, thereby imparting amassaging movement to the body part. l

In order to meet the tastes and requirements of different persons, tocomply with physical characteristics of the body parts being massaged,and to prevent physical damageto particular persons utilizing theexerciser, it isv desirable if not necessary to rotate the eccentric pinshaft at different speeds of from 200 to 7 00 R. P'. M., for varying therate of massage movement of the strapapplicat-or.

Prior devices are known in Which the speed ofthe eccentric pin shaft maybe retarded or advanced by utilizing cone pulleys operatively connectedby a belt. However', difiiculties are encountered in changing the beltrWhen such a` construction is used in the home of ordinary persons Whoknowlittle of the manner in Which belts should be changed. Consequently,such belts are never changed by the users When they should be changed;and physical injury has often resulted, due to the use of improperspeeds When massaging certain body parts.

Moreover, an unenclosed running belt presents a serious hazard', and inorderV that safe operation of such massaging machines can be had, thebelts and cone pulleys must be enclosed', thus increasing the difficultywith Which the belt may bey changed to change the speed of operation ofthe machine.

Moreover, enclosed cone pulleys and belt variable speedexercisers are soexpensiveto 1930'. Serial No. 451,808.

manufacture that itis commercially impractical to produce the same forcommon use-by the ordinary person. i

Accordingly, it isk anV object of ther present invention to provide avariablel speed.l exercising machine Withvvhich the speed. of rotationmay be changed by the most unskilled operator or user, according totherequirement of that person, by merely moving a lever.

A further obj ect of theinvention is top-rovide a variable` speedexercising machine which is safe in operation, no mechanical hazardsbeing presented by the speed changing operating mechanism. l

A further ob'ectof the invention is toprovide a variable speed gearingspeed changing device-having a very simplified andl inexpen.- siveconstructionv and having aV centralized visible control readilyoperableby the average person.

Moreover, an object of the present invention is to providea speedchanging mechanism in connection Wth an exercising machine, Which has arelatively fewv number of constituents parts, each of Which have a verysimplified and standard design Whichv may accordingly ber manufacturedat a very low cost so that a variable speed exerciservvill be availablefor use by the average person.

It is often desirable to use massagingI appliances Which can only beattached tothe massaging machine through the medium of a flexible driveshaft..

Itis therefore a further object of the pres.- ent invention to providemeans for connectingv a flexible drive shaft With the eccentric crankpin'ofthe exercising machine for transferring rot-ary motion from theexercising machine rotatable shaft to the flexible shaft.

These and other objects-maybe obtained by utilizing a construction Whichmay be stated in general terms as including in connection With a motor,a' drive shaft, al driven shaft carrying eccentric pins, meansinterposed betvveen the drive shaft andthe driven shaft includingclutches and gearing for drivingthe driven shaft atgdiriferent speeds,and centralized operati-ng means for the clutches including bell cranklevers cooperating with the clutches and a rotatable internal cam diskoperating the levers for changing the speed of rotation of the eccentricpin shaft.

The preferred embodiment of the improved device is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which Figure 1 is alongitudinal section through the gear box of the improved massagingmachine variable speed gearing, on the line 11, Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a cross section through the gear box, taken on the line 2 2,Fig. 1 and showing a fragmentary portion of the massaging machine drivemotor in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the gear box looking toward thecentralized internal cam control disk; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation view showing the manner in which aieXible shaft Ibnay be operatively connected with the gear Similarnumerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the various gures ofthe drawings.

The massaging machine includes the motor, shown in broken lines at 10,having a rotatable motor shaft 11 journaled in bearings 12 and 13carried respectively by the gearing casing sections 14 and 15.

The main eccentric pin shaft 16 is provided at either end with disks 17,which have eccentric pins 18 thereon, and the shaft 16 is j ournaledadjacent its end portions in bearings 19 carried by the casing section14.

The shaft 16 is provided with a peripheral flange portion 2Ointermediate its ends and a master gear bearing 21, a second bearing 22,and a third bearing 23 are mounted on the shaft 16. The master bearing21 is held in seated relation with the flanged peripheral portion 20, bythe collar 24 and set screw 25. A washer 26 is interposed between thethird bearing 23 and the end bearing 19; and the collar 27 with its setscrew 28 holds the third bearing 23 in seated relation against thewasher 26.

A counter shaft 29 is mounted in bearings 30 in the upper portion of thecasing 14, and the bearings 30 and counter shaft 29 are held in positionby the bearing caps 31.

The motor shaft 11 is provided preferably with an integral worm 32 whichmeshes with a worm gear 33 rotatably mounted on the master bearing 21.

A master gear 34 is preferably bolted at 34a to the worm gear 33, and isaccordingly similarly rotatably mounted on the master bearing 21. Themaster pinion 35 is pinned to the counter shaft 29 and arranged to meshwith the master gear 34; and the master pinion 35 has mounted thereonthe second idler gear 36 which meshes with the second idler pinion 37fixedly mounted on the second bearing 22 which is rotatably mounted onthe eccentric shaft 16.

rlhe counter shaft 29 also has a third idler gear 38 pinned thereonwhich meshes with the third idler pinion 39 fiXedly mounted ori thethird bearing 23 which is rotatably mounted on the eccentric shaft 16.

A main clutch 40 is slidably keyed at 41 to the shaft 16 and is providedwith a master clutch jaw 42 and a third clutch jaw 43 for selectiveengagement with the worm gear clutch jaw 44 and the third pinion clutchjaw 45 respectively.

A collar 46 having clutch aws 47 is pinned to the shaft 16 and spacedfrom the left hand bearing 19 by the washer 48; and the jaws 47 areadapted for engagement with the clutch jaws 49 provided on the secondidler pinion 37.

A disk plate 50 provided with an operating handle 51 is rotatablyjournaled at 52 on the front of the casing member 15, and the disk 50 isprovided with the internal slow-fast cam slot indicated generally at 53and the medium cam slot generally indicated at 54.

A slow-fast bell crank lever shaft 55 is rotatably journaled in thebearing 56 carried by the casing section 15, and its outer lever arm 57carries a roller 58 which rides in the cam slot 53, while its clutchlever arm 59 carries a clutch operating pin 60 which rides in theperipheral groove 61 of the main Clutch 40.

A medium bell crank lever shaft 62 is rotatably journaled in the bearing63 carried in the casing section 15, and its outer lever arm 64 carriesa roll-er 65 which rides in the cam slot 54, while its clutch lever arm66 carries a. clutch operating pin 67 which rides in the peripheralgroove 68 of the combined second gear and clutch 37-49.

Although the sectional plane of Fig. 1 is taken beyond the clutchoperating levers 59 and 66, for convenience in explanation, the locationof the levers 59 and 66, is shown in dot-dash lines in Fig. 1 of thedrawings.

The operating disk 60 is adapted to be shifted to three differentpositions, shown in Fig. 3 as slow, medium, and fast, at which times thespring pressed ball 69 is seated in one of the recesses 70 provided inthe face plate 71 of the casing section 15.

The operation of the device is as follows TWhen the motor 10 isoperating to drive the shaft 16 at slow speed, which may preferably besome 200 R. l). M., the various parts are in the positions shown in fulllines in the various figures of the drawings, and the worm 32 on themotor shaft 11, drives the worm gear 33, and clutch 40 through themedium of the clutch jaws 42 and 44, and rotary motion is transmittedfrom the clutch 40 to the shaft 16 through the key 41.

If it is desired to drive the shaft 16 at medium or second speed, whichis preferably at ige-54,622

orabout 350 R. M., the'operating` disk 5() is-rotated-clockwise so'tliatthe spring pressed ball'69moves toward the medium recess I worm gear 33.

Meanwhile, the roller 654V rides along. the cani slot portion 54a,through thezone A of the cam slot 54, as shown in Fig. 3. Upon furtherrotation ofthe operating disk 5() toward mediumy position, the roller 65rides into the depressed portion 54?) of the Cam slot 54 within the ZoneB', and the roller v58 rides along the portion 53?) of the cam slot 53within the zone B. i

Thus the shaft 62 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction to shiftthe second pinion 37 axially of the shaft 16, so that its clutch jaws 49engage the clutch jaws 47 of the Collar 46; and the clutch 4() is heldin neutral position.

' With the parts in the positions last described, the spring pressedball 69 moves into engagement with the medium recess 70 and the devicewill operate at medium or second speed, the drive being transmitted asfollows:

The rotating motor shaft 11 through its worm 32 drives the worm gear 33,and the drive continues through the bolts 34a, to the master gear 34,master pinion 35, second idler gear 36, second idler pinion 37, clutchjaws 49-47, and to the shaft 16 through its keyed collar 46.

If it is desired to drive the shaft 16 at fast or third speed, which ispreferably at or about 700 R. P. M. the operating disk 50 is rotatedclockwise from medium position so that the spring pressed ball 69 movestoward the fast recess 70. During rotation of the disk, the roller 58rides along the cam slot portion 53?) and into the cam slot portion 530,through the zones marked B and C of the cam slot 53, rotating the shaft55 in a counter-clockwise direction to move the clutch 40 from neutralposition into engagement with the clutch jaws 45 of the third idlerpinion 39.

Meanwhile, the rollers ride out of the cam slot portion 545 into the camslot portion -540 through the Zones marked B and C of the cam slot 54,as shown in Fig. 3, so that the shaft 62 is rotated in a clockwisedirection to shift the second pinion 37' axially of the shaft 16 todisengage its clutch jaws 49 from engagement with the clutch jaws 47 ofthe collar 46.

lith the parts in the last described position, the spring pressed ball69 moves into engagement with the fast recess 7 0 and thev drive fromthe motor 10 is as follows:

The'rotating motor'shaft 11, throughthe' worm 32, drives the Worm: gear33, andY thev drive continues through thebolts 34a to the-v master gear'34, master pinion 35, third idler gear 38, third idler pinion139, clutchpins 454-43, and to the shaft 16 through: th clutch 40 and its key 41.

Accordingly, the shaft-16 may operate at slow, medium, or fast speeds.of from some 20G to 700 R. I?. M., todrive the disks 17 and eccentricpins 18 carriedk thereby.V Any desirable strap applicator, or othermassaging appliance may be connected with the` pins18 for massaging bodyparts in the usual manner.

In assembling the device"7 the shaft 16 and counter shaft 29 may beinsertedv lengthwise into-the endr bearing openings of thecasing section14, while the various gears, clutches, bearings, etc., may be strungalong the shaftl by inserting the same throughl the front opening 14 ofthe'casing section 14.-

- The casing section 15 with its operating. disk assembly thereon maythen -be placed in^ assembled relation with theV casing section 14 andso held by bolts 15.

It is pointed out that the casingsectio'n 14: has an auxiliary member14a arranged to cover up all parts of the mechanism excepting therotating disks 17. Theauxiliary casportion 14 may be provided withfeet`r 1 The casing 14 ispreferably partially filled with grease forinsuring a' smooth and'n quiet operation and complete lubrication of thevarious moving parts.

Accordingly, anv exercising or massaging machine is provided which maybe runl atV any one'of several desired predetermined speeds, andthespeed cha-nge device may be readily operated by the most inexperienceduser by merelyr moving a lever.

Moreover, the machine is very quiet inv operation, and all moving partsare completely covered excepting only the disks car rying the eccentricpins.

And iinally, all` of the parts are of an extremely simple design andconstruction andi can be manufactured at a very low cost.

When it may bef desired totransm-it rotaryy motion to a flexible shaft,a coupling member vprovided on the end of a flexible shaft casing 81journalling ai flanged plate 82 may be connected by means ofV a bayonetjoint indicatedv at 83, with the auxiliary casing 14a. In so connectingthe coupling member 80, the flanged' plate 82 engages onev of the ec'-centric pins 18 `for transferring rotary motion from the shaft 16 to theflexible drive shaft 84.

I claim: p

1`. In a massaging appliance, a variable speed mechanism including acasing, a drive shaft journaled in the casing, means for ro:- tating thedriveshat, a driven; shaft. journailed in the 'casing having eccentricpins mounted thereon, a worm on the drive shaft, a worm gear meshingVwith the worm rotatably mounted on the driven shaft, a master gearassociated with the worm gear rotatably mounted on the driven shaft, acountershaft ournaled in the casing, a master pinion meshing with themaster gear keyed to the countershaft, a second gear keyed to thecounter-shaft, a third gear keyed to the countershaft, a second pinionmeshing with the second gear slidably and rotatably mounted on thedriven shaft, a third pinion meshing with the third gear rotatablymounted on the driven shaft, the worm gear, second pinion and thirdpinion being provided with clutch aws, a main clutch slidably keyed tothe driven shaft having clutch jaws for selective engagement with eitherthe worm gear or the third pinion clutch jaws, a collar keyed to thedriven shaft having clutch jaws for alternate engagement with the secondpinion clutch jaws, centralized operating means. for slidably shiftingthe main clutch and second pinion on the driven shaft including bellcrank levers journaled on the casing engaging the main clutch and secondpinion, and an internal cam mounted for rotary movement exteriorly ofthe casing engaging the levers, and means for rotating the cam disk todifferent positions for simultaneously shifting the levers toselectively engage certain of the clutch jaws for changing the speed ofrotation of the driven shaft.

2. In a massaging appliance, a variable speed mechanism including acasing, a drive shaft journaled in the casing, meansvfor rotating thedrive shaft, a driven shaft journaled in the casing having eccentricpins mounted thereon, a worm on the drive shaft, a worm gear meshingwith the worm rotatably mounted on the driven shaft, a master gearassociated with the worm gear rotatably mounted on the driven shaft, acountersha-ft ournaled in the casing, a master pinion meshing with themaster gear keyed to the countershaft, a second gear keyed to thecountershaft, a third gear keyed to the countershaft, a second pinionmeshing with the second gear slidably and rotatably mounted on thedriven shaft, a third pinion meshing with the third gear rotatablymounted on the driven shaft, the worm gear, second pinion and thirdpinion being provided with clutch jaws, a. main clutch slidably keyed tothe driven shaft having clutch jaws for selective engagement with eitherthe worm gear or the third pinion clutch jaws, a collar keyed to thedriven shaft having clutch jaws for alternate engagement with the secondpinion clutch jaws, centralized operating means for slidably shiftingthe main clutch and second pinion on the driven Shaft including aslow-fast bell crank lever journaled on the casing engaging the mainclutch, a medium bell crank lever journaled on the casing engaging thesecond pinion, and a cam disk mounted for rotary movement exteriorly ofthe casing engaging the levers, and means for rotating the cam disk todiiferent positions for simultaneously shifting the levers for engagingthe main clutch jaws and worm gear clutch jaws at one position, thesecond pinion clutch jaws and collar clutch aws at another position, orthe main clutch jaws and third pinion clutch jaws at another positionfor changing the speed of rotation of the driven shaft.

In testimony that l claim the above, I have hereunto subscribed m name.

VILL' M V. OBR.

